Senate Bill sb1654

    Florida Senate - 2006                                  SB 1654

    By Senator Baker





    20-880B-06

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to animal health care services;

  3         amending s. 474.203, F.S.; providing that ch.

  4         474, F.S., relating to veterinary medical

  5         practice, does not apply to an independent

  6         contractor who provides nonmedical health care

  7         services to an animal under the supervision of

  8         the owner of the animal; requiring that an

  9         independent contractor who provides nonmedical

10         health care services for animals comply with

11         certain requirements; providing an effective

12         date.

13  

14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

15  

16         Section 1.  Subsection (9) is added to section 474.203,

17  Florida Statutes, to read:

18         474.203  Exemptions.--This chapter shall not apply to:

19         (9)  An independent contractor who, under the

20  supervision of a person who is administering to the ills or

21  injuries of his or her own livestock, herd, or avian animals,

22  provides nonmedical health care services to the animals,

23  including, but not limited to, acupressure, aromatherapy,

24  animal communication, farriery, flower essence therapy,

25  homeopathy, light therapy, magnet therapy, massage therapy,

26  hydrotherapy, nutritional counseling, debeaking, dehorning,

27  and manual equine teeth floating. The owner of a herd animal

28  that is raised for food or fiber may engage independent

29  contractors to provide routine herd-management tasks,

30  including, but not limited to, castration and parasite

31  control. An independent contractor who provides nonmedical

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2006                                  SB 1654
    20-880B-06




 1  health care services for animals and is not a veterinarian

 2  must:

 3         (a)  Obtain an occupational license from his or her

 4  county of residence;

 5         (b)  Advise each owner of an animal that will be

 6  treated of his or her knowledge or experience with the

 7  services that will be provided;

 8         (c)  Produce his or her credentials upon the request of

 9  an owner of an animal that is being treated;

10         (d)  Refrain from engaging in animal cruelty; and

11         (e)  Refrain from advertising in any way that implies

12  that he or she is a veterinarian.

13  

14  For the purposes of chapters 465 and 893, persons exempt

15  pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (4)

16  are deemed to be duly licensed practitioners authorized by the

17  laws of this state to prescribe drugs or medicinal supplies.

18         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

19  

20            *****************************************

21                          SENATE SUMMARY

22    Provides that ch. 474, F.S., related to veterinary
      medical practice, does not apply to an independent
23    contractor who provides nonmedical health care services
      to an animal under the supervision of the owner of the
24    animal. Requires that an independent contractor who
      provides nonmedical health care services for animals
25    comply with certain requirements.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.